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Compare Lesotho (2006) - Niger (2001)

Compare Lesotho (2006) z Niger (2001)

 Lesotho (2006)Niger (2001)
 LesothoNiger
Administrative divisions 10 districts; Berea, Butha-Buthe, Leribe, Mafeteng, Maseru, Mohale's Hoek, Mokhotlong, Qacha's Nek, Quthing, Thaba-Tseka 7 departments (departements, singular - departement), and 1 capital district* (capitale district); Agadez, Diffa, Dosso, Maradi, Niamey*, Tahoua, Tillaberi, Zinder
Age structure 0-14 years: 36.8% (male 374,102/female 369,527)


15-64 years: 58.3% (male 572,957/female 606,846)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 39,461/female 59,438) (2006 est.)
0-14 years:
47.97% (male 2,528,484; female 2,439,051)

15-64 years:
49.75% (male 2,518,400; female 2,633,677)

65 years and over:
2.28% (male 123,589; female 111,955) (2001 est.)
Agriculture - products corn, wheat, pulses, sorghum, barley; livestock cowpeas, cotton, peanuts, millet, sorghum, cassava (tapioca), rice; cattle, sheep, goats, camels, donkeys, horses, poultry
Airports 28 (2006) 27 (2000 est.)
Airports - with paved runways total: 3


over 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (2006)
total:
9

2,438 to 3,047 m:
2

1,524 to 2,437 m:
6

under 914 m:
1 (2000 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 25


914 to 1,523 m: 4


under 914 m: 21 (2006)
total:
18

1,524 to 2,437 m:
1

914 to 1,523 m:
15

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
Area total: 30,355 sq km


land: 30,355 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total:
1.267 million sq km

land:
1,266,700 sq km

water:
300 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Maryland slightly less than twice the size of Texas
Background Basutoland was renamed the Kingdom of Lesotho upon independence from the UK in 1966. The Basuto National Party ruled for the first two decades. King MOSHOESHOE was exiled in 1990, but returned to Lesotho in 1992 and reinstated in 1995. Constitutional government was restored in 1993 after 7 years of military rule. In 1998, violent protests and a military mutiny following a contentious election prompted a brief but bloody intervention by South African and Botswanan military forces under the aegis of the Southern African Development Community. Constitutional reforms have since restored political stability; peaceful parliamentary elections were held in 2002. Not until 1993, 33 years after independence from France, did Niger hold its first free and open elections. A 1995 peace accord ended a five-year Tuareg insurgency in the north. Coups in 1996 and 1999 were followed by the creation of a National Reconciliation Council that effected a transition to civilian rule in December 1999.
Birth rate 24.75 births/1,000 population (2006 est.) 50.68 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Budget revenues: $738.5 million


expenditures: $792.1 million; including capital expenditures of NA (2005 est.)
revenues:
$377 million, including $146 million from foreign sources

expenditures:
$377 million, including capital expenditures of $105 million (1999 est.)
Capital name: Maseru


geographic coordinates: 29 28 S, 27 30 E


time difference: UTC+2 (7 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
Niamey
Climate temperate; cool to cold, dry winters; hot, wet summers desert; mostly hot, dry, dusty; tropical in extreme south
Coastline 0 km (landlocked) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2 April 1993 the constitution of January 1993 was revised by national referendum on 12 May 1996 and again by referendum on 18 July 1999
Country name conventional long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


conventional short form: Lesotho


local long form: Kingdom of Lesotho


local short form: Lesotho


former: Basutoland
conventional long form:
Republic of Niger

conventional short form:
Niger

local long form:
Republique du Niger

local short form:
Niger
Currency - Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (XOF); note - responsible authority is the Central Bank of the West African States
Death rate 28.71 deaths/1,000 population (2006 est.) 22.71 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Debt - external $735 million (2002) $1.3 billion (1999 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY


embassy: 254 Kingsway, Maseru West (Consular Section)


mailing address: P. O. Box 333, Maseru 100, Lesotho


telephone: [266] 22 312666


FAX: [266] 22 310116
chief of mission:
Ambassador Charles O. CECIL

embassy:
Rue Des Ambassades, Niamey

mailing address:
B. P. 11201, Niamey

telephone:
[227] 72 26 61 through 72 26 64

FAX:
[227] 73 31 67
Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Molelekeng E. RAPOLAKI


chancery: 2511 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 797-5533 through 5536


FAX: [1] (202) 234-6815
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph DIATTA

chancery:
2204 R Street NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 483-4224 through 4227
Disputes - international none Libya claims about 19,400 sq km in northern Niger; delimitation of international boundaries in the vicinity of Lake Chad, the lack of which led to border incidents in the past, has been completed and awaits ratification by Cameroon, Chad, Niger, and Nigeria
Economic aid - donor ODA, $4.4 million -
Economic aid - recipient $41.5 million (2000) $341 million (1997)

note:
the IMF approved a $73 million poverty reduction and growth facility for Niger in 2000 and announced $115 million in debt relief under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative
Economy - overview Small, landlocked, and mountainous, Lesotho relies on remittances from miners employed in South Africa and customs duties from the Southern Africa Customs Union for the majority of government revenue. However, the government has recently strengthened its tax system to reduce dependency on customs duties. Completion of a major hydropower facility in January 1998 now permits the sale of water to South Africa, also generating royalties for Lesotho. As the number of mineworkers has declined steadily over the past several years, a small manufacturing base has developed based on farm products that support the milling, canning, leather, and jute industries, as well as a rapidly expanding apparel-assembly sector. The latter has grown significantly, mainly due to Lesotho qualifying for the trade benefits contained in the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act. The economy is still primarily based on subsistence agriculture, especially livestock, although drought has decreased agricultural activity. The extreme inequality in the distribution of income remains a major drawback. Lesotho has signed an Interim Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility with the IMF. Niger is a poor, landlocked Sub-Saharan nation, whose economy centers on subsistence agriculture, animal husbandry, reexport trade, and increasingly less on uranium, because of declining world demand. The 50% devaluation of the West African franc in January 1994 boosted exports of livestock, cowpeas, onions, and the products of Niger's small cotton industry. The government relies on bilateral and multilateral aid - which was suspended following the April 1999 coup d'etat - for operating expenses and public investment. In 2000, the World Bank approved a structural adjustment loan of $35 million to help support fiscal reforms. However, reforms could prove difficult given the government's bleak financial situation.
Electricity - consumption 363.5 million kWh (2003) 401 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2003) 0 kWh (1999)
Electricity - imports 38 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003) 215 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production 350 million kWh; note - electricity supplied by South Africa (2003) 200 million kWh (1999)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel:
100%

hydro:
0%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
Elevation extremes lowest point: junction of the Orange and Makhaleng Rivers 1,400 m


highest point: Thabana Ntlenyana 3,482 m
lowest point:
Niger River 200 m

highest point:
Mont Greboun 1,944 m
Environment - current issues population pressure forcing settlement in marginal areas results in overgrazing, severe soil erosion, and soil exhaustion; desertification; Highlands Water Project controls, stores, and redirects water to South Africa overgrazing; soil erosion; deforestation; desertification; wildlife populations (such as elephant, hippopotamus, giraffe, and lion) threatened because of poaching and habitat destruction
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Environmental Modification, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups Sotho 99.7%, Europeans, Asians, and other 0.3%, Hausa 56%, Djerma 22%, Fula 8.5%, Tuareg 8%, Beri Beri (Kanouri) 4.3%, Arab, Toubou, and Gourmantche 1.2%, about 1,200 French expatriates
Exchange rates maloti per US dollar - 6.3593 (2005), 6.4597 (2004), 7.5648 (2003), 10.5407 (2002), 8.6092 (2001) Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XOF) per US dollar - 699.21 (January 2001), 711.98 (2000), 615.70 (1999), 589.95 (1998), 583.67 (1997), 511.55 (1996); note - from 1 January 1999, the XOF is pegged to the euro at a rate of 655.957 XOF per euro
Executive branch chief of state: King LETSIE III (since 7 February 1996); note - King LETSIE III formerly occupied the throne from November 1990 to February 1995, while his father was in exile


head of government: Prime Minister Pakalitha MOSISILI (since 23 May 1998)


cabinet: Cabinet


elections: none - according to the constitution, the leader of the majority party in the Assembly automatically becomes prime minister; the monarch is hereditary, but, under the terms of the constitution, which came into effect after the March 1993 election, the monarch is a "living symbol of national unity" with no executive or legislative powers; under traditional law the college of chiefs has the power to depose the monarch, determine who is next in the line of succession, or who shall serve as regent in the event that the successor is not of mature age
chief of state:
President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government

head of government:
President Mamadou TANDJA (since 22 December 1999); note - the president is both chief of state and head of government; Prime Minister Hama AMADOU (since 31 December 1999) was appointed by the president and shares some executive responsibilities with the president

note:
President Ibrahim BARE was assassinated on 9 April 1999; subsequent elections were held under the nine-month provisional government of Major Daouda Mallam WANKE

cabinet:
23-member cabinet appointed by President TANDJA

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
Mamadou TANDJA elected president; percent of vote - Mamadou TANDJA 59.9%, Mahamadou ISSOUFOU 40.1%
Exports NA bbl/day $385 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Exports - commodities manufactures 75% (clothing, footwear, road vehicles), wool and mohair, food and live animals (2000) uranium ore 65%, livestock products, cowpeas, onions (1998 est.)
Exports - partners Hong Kong 43.6%, China 35.4%, Germany 8.4% (2005) France 45%, Nigeria 27%, UK 11% (1999)
Fiscal year 1 April - 31 March calendar year
Flag description three horizontal stripes of blue (top), white, and green in the proportions of 3:4:3; the colors represent rain, peace, and prosperity respectively; centered in the white stripe is a black Basotho hat representing the indigenous people; the flag was unfurled in October 2006 to celebrate 40 years of independence three equal horizontal bands of orange (top), white, and green with a small orange disk (representing the sun) centered in the white band; similar to the flag of India, which has a blue spoked wheel centered in the white band
GDP - purchasing power parity - $10 billion (2000 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 16.3%


industry: 44.3%


services: 39.4% (2005 est.)
agriculture:
40%

industry:
18%

services:
42% (1998)
GDP - per capita - purchasing power parity - $1,000 (2000 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.2% (2005 est.) 3.5% (2000 est.)
Geographic coordinates 29 30 S, 28 30 E 16 00 N, 8 00 E
Geography - note landlocked, completely surrounded by South Africa; mountainous, more than 80% of the country is 1,800 meters above sea level landlocked
Highways - total:
10,100 km

paved:
798 km

unpaved:
9,302 km (1996)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: 0.9%


highest 10%: 43.4%
lowest 10%:
0.8%

highest 10%:
35.4% (1995)
Imports NA bbl/day $317 million (f.o.b., 1999)
Imports - commodities food; building materials, vehicles, machinery, medicines, petroleum products (2000) consumer goods, primary materials, machinery, vehicles and parts, petroleum, cereals
Imports - partners US 84%, Belgium 12.8%, Canada 2.4% (2005) France 22%, Cote d'Ivoire 15%, Nigeria 8%, US 3% (1999)
Independence 4 October 1966 (from UK) 3 August 1958 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate 15.5% (1999) NA%
Industries food, beverages, textiles, apparel assembly, handicrafts, construction, tourism uranium mining, cement, brick, textiles, food processing, chemicals, slaughterhouses
Infant mortality rate total: 87.24 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 92.04 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 82.28 deaths/1,000 live births (2006 est.)
123.57 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 4.7% (2005 est.) 2.8% (2000 est.)
International organization participation ACP, AfDB, AU, C, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO (subscriber), ITU, MIGA, NAM, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ACCT, ACP, AfDB, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, Entente, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIPONUH, MONUC, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WADB, WAEMU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 1 (2000)
Irrigated land 30 sq km (2003) 660 sq km (1993 est.)
Judicial branch High Court (chief justice appointed by the monarch acting on the advice of the Prime Minister); Court of Appeal; Magistrate's Court; customary or traditional court State Court or Cour d'Etat; Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel
Labor force 838,000 (2000) 70,000 receive regular wages or salaries
Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 86% of resident population engaged in subsistence agriculture; roughly 35% of the active male wage earners work in South Africa


industry and services: 14%
agriculture 90%, industry and commerce 6%, government 4%
Land boundaries total: 909 km


border countries: South Africa 909 km
total:
5,697 km

border countries:
Algeria 956 km, Benin 266 km, Burkina Faso 628 km, Chad 1,175 km, Libya 354 km, Mali 821 km, Nigeria 1,497 km
Land use arable land: 10.87%


permanent crops: 0.13%


other: 89% (2005)
arable land:
3%

permanent crops:
0%

permanent pastures:
7%

forests and woodland:
2%

other:
88% (1993 est.)
Languages Sesotho (southern Sotho), English (official), Zulu, Xhosa French (official), Hausa, Djerma
Legal system based on English common law and Roman-Dutch law; judicial review of legislative acts in High Court and Court of Appeal; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations based on French civil law system and customary law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch bicameral Parliament consists of the Senate (33 members - 22 principal chiefs and 11 other members appointed by the ruling party) and the Assembly (120 seats, 80 by direct popular vote and 40 by proportional vote; members elected by popular vote for five-year terms); note - number of seats in the Assembly rose from 80 to 120 in the May 2002 election


elections: last held 25 May 2002 (next to be held by May 2007)


election results: percent of vote by party - LCD 54%, BNP 21%, LPC 7%, other 18%; seats by party - LCD 76, BNP 21, LPC 5, other 18
unicameral National Assembly (83 seats, members elected by popular vote for five-year terms)

elections:
last held 24 November 1999 (next to be held NA 2004)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - MNSD-Nassara 38, CDS-Rahama 17, PNDS-Tarayya 16, RDP-Jama'a 8, ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya 4
Life expectancy at birth total population: 34.4 years


male: 35.55 years


female: 33.21 years (2006 est.)
total population:
41.59 years

male:
41.74 years

female:
41.44 years (2001 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 84.8%


male: 74.5%


female: 94.5% (2003 est.)
definition:
age 15 and over can read and write

total population:
13.6%

male:
20.9%

female:
6.6% (1995 est.)
Location Southern Africa, an enclave of South Africa Western Africa, southeast of Algeria
Map references Africa Africa
Maritime claims none (landlocked) none (landlocked)
Military - note the Lesotho Government in 1999 began an open debate on the future structure, size, and role of the armed forces, especially considering the Lesotho Defense Force's (LDF) history of intervening in political affairs -
Military branches Lesotho Defense Force (LDF): Army and Air Wing Army, Air Force, National Gendarmerie, Republican Guard, National Police
Military expenditures - dollar figure $41.1 million (2005 est.) $20 million (FY96)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 2.1% (2005 est.) 1.1% (FY96)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49:
2,202,608 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49:
1,190,787 (2001 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 18 years of age
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males:
108,993 (2001 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 4 October (1966) Republic Day, 18 December (1958)
Nationality noun: Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural)


adjective: Basotho
noun:
Nigerien(s)

adjective:
Nigerien
Natural hazards periodic droughts recurring droughts
Natural resources water, agricultural and grazing land, diamonds, sand, clay, building stone uranium, coal, iron ore, tin, phosphates, gold, petroleum
Net migration rate -0.68 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2006 est.) -0.73 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)
Political parties and leaders Basotholand African Congress or BAC [Khauhelo RALITAPOLE]; Basotholand Congress Party or BCP [Ntsukunyane MPHANYA]; Basotho National Party or BNP [Maj. Gen. Justine Metsing LEKHANYA]; Kopanang Basotho Party or KPB [MOSALA]; Lesotho Congress for Democracy or LCD [Pakalitha MOSISILI] (the governing party); Lesotho Education Party or LEP [Thabo PITSO]; Lesotho People's Congress or LPC [Kelebone MAOPE]; Lesotho Workers Party of LWP [Macaefa BILLY]; Marematlou Freedom Party or MFP [Vincent MALEBO]; National Independent Party or NIP [Anthony MANYELI]; National Progressive Party or NPP [Chief Peete Nkoebe PEETE]; Popular Front for Democracy or PFD [Lekhetho RAKUOANE]; Sefate Democratic Union or SDU [Bofihla NKUEBE]; Social Democratic Party of SDP [Masitise SELESO]; United Democratic Party or UDP [C.D. MOFELI]; United Party or UP [Makara SEKAUTU] Democratic Rally of the People-Jama'a or RDP-Jama'a [Hamid ALGABID]; Democratic and Social Convention-Rahama or CDS-Rahama [Mahamane OUSMANE]; National Movement for a Developing Society-Nassara or MNSD-Nassara [Mamadou TANDJA, chairman]; Nigerien Alliance for Democracy and Social Progress-Zaman Lahiya or ANDPS-Zaman Lahiya [Moumouni Adamou DJERMAKOYE]; Nigerien Party for Democracy and Socialism-Tarayya or PNDS-Tarayya [Mahamadou ISSOUFOU]; Union of Democratic Patriots and Progressives-Chamoua or UPDP-Chamoua [Professor Andre' SALIFOU, chairman]
Political pressure groups and leaders NA NA
Population 2,022,331


note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2006 est.)
10,355,156 (July 2001 est.)
Population below poverty line 49% (1999) 63% (1993 est.)
Population growth rate -0.46% (2006 est.) 2.72% (2001 est.)
Ports and harbors - none
Radio broadcast stations AM 1, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 5, FM 5, shortwave 4 (1998)
Radios - 680,000 (1997)
Railways - 0 km
Religions Christian 80%, indigenous beliefs 20% Muslim 80%, remainder indigenous beliefs and Christians
Sex ratio at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.94 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.66 male(s)/female


total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2006 est.)
at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years:
0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over:
1.1 male(s)/female

total population:
1 male(s)/female (2001 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: rudimentary system


domestic: consists of a modest but growing number of landlines, a small microwave radio relay system, and a minor radiotelephone communication system; a cellular mobile telephone system is growing


international: country code - 266; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
general assessment:
small system of wire, radio telephone communications, and microwave radio relay links concentrated in the southwestern area of Niger

domestic:
wire, radiotelephone communications, and microwave radio relay; domestic satellite system with 3 earth stations and 1 planned

international:
satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (1 Atlantic Ocean and 1 Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 48,000 (2005) 16,000 (1997)
Telephones - mobile cellular 245,100 (2005) 13,000 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 1 (2000) 10 (plus seven low-power repeaters) (1997)
Terrain mostly highland with plateaus, hills, and mountains predominately desert plains and sand dunes; flat to rolling plains in south; hills in north
Total fertility rate 3.28 children born/woman (2006 est.) 7.08 children born/woman (2001 est.)
Unemployment rate 45% (2002) NA%
Waterways - 300 km

note:
the Niger River is navigable from Niamey to Gaya on the Benin frontier from mid-December through March
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